How Creepy Can It Get?

The American Spectator ^ | May 23, 2006 | Eric Peters

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

We used to fingerprint felons -- now, we're "inking" traffic scofflaws.

Run a couple of mph over the speed limit in the state of Kansas (or even fail to "buckle up for safety") and you'll be duly entered into the Kansas Bureau of Investigation's electronic fingerprint database -- a privilege once reserved for actual criminals, not ordinary citizens who commit minor violations of the motor vehicle code. KBI, authorized by the state government, will be "testing out" 60 automated fingerprint readers throughout the state beginning this month -- all of it funded by a $3.6 million grant from the Department of Homeland Security.

Who knew Kansas drivers were such an ominous lot?

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated aberrance. California began fingerprinting driver's license applicants as long ago as 1977 (when it was optional; it's now mandatory) and other states (Georgia, Colorado, Hawaii, Texas) routinely fingerprint motorists as well -- with digitized/electronic systems coming on line. Most of this is done at license issue time, however.

Kansas is the first state to run fingerprints during traffic stops.

Recently passed federal legislation will soon require all states to catalogue motorists' whorls and swirls (and other so-called "biometric tags," including eye scans) within the next couple of years.

Virginia and a few other states are looking at incorporating microscopic "radio frequency" ID transmitters into driver's licenses that would make it possible for anyone with the right scanner to download all your pertinent (and even not-so-pertinent) information -- without your even being aware of it. These RFID transmitters work sort of like those EZ-pass thingies some of us already have on our cars to help us breeze through tolls. Only in this case, it would be a matter of making it easier for government to breeze through our personal data.

[brazzaville]

Good Evening.
"Why dont we give DNA samples as well??"

Ssshh. They might hear.

Michael Frazier

[jwh_Denver]

"I disagree, this was started a long time ago,"

You are right. It's just I don't think we've seen much of what's coming.

[fish hawk]

You mean you haven't got the 666 chip in your hand or forehead yet?

[MrLee]

I've had a concealed weapons permit for over 25 years (in Maine). This years I was finger printed when I applied for my renewal. Never had to before.

[thoughtomator]

I think the DNA samples in this case are being given TO us. BOHICA, as they say...

[jwh_Denver]

"Let's bumrush Kansas ;)"

Done deal.

[ovrtaxt]

Why dont we give DNA samples as well??

Put your hands on the hood and spread em, big boy.

[GulfWar1Vet]

oh, that is so wrong.

[observer5]

Sure this will be linked to the PATRIOT CRAPED system.

Great!

[doc30]

I wouldn't give them my finger print, no matter what. I'd drive away first.

Then you would be arrested as a felon. Fleeing police is never a wise move.

[ordinaryguy]

Fingerprinting during traffic stops? Why dont we give DNA samples as well??

Republican Mayor Michael Bloomberg thrust himself into the national immigration debate Wednesday, advocating a plan that would establish a DNA or fingerprint database to track and verify all legal U.S. workers.

[ovrtaxt]

Yep- you don't want to be speeding through that village!

[TexasTransplant]

DING DING DING

We have a Winner!

Our little Tourist Town is lit up today with Flashing Lights!

This three day weekend is going to net the City BIG BUCKS!

Next week will be even Bigger.

TT

[wjr]

Actually you are incorrect about RFID. An RFID can contain an ID element that is defined as up to several hundred bytes of data -- enough to contain key recognition information.

Further, new proposals (for passports and the like) could contain up to several Kilobytes of data.

The reason that RIFD tags do not contain more data now has nothing to do with the technology or the standard(s) but current commercial usage.

[hedgetrimmer]

We must stop them.

[Trajan88]

guilty until proven innocent... now, off to my state-mandated housing unit.

[Lokibob]

Are you talking about "smart Cards" instead of RFID?

[org.whodat]

a tax collector on wheels all in the name of public safety.

Sooner or later everyone figures it out, however, if you are an illegal it doesn't apply.

[MortMan]

I believe RFID is only limited by the battery strength and endurance. The amount of data can be scaled.

Basically RFID simply refers to the mechanismfor transmitting data - radio frequency electromagnetic waves.

[Verginius Rufus]

The Senate's "No Illegal Alien Left Behind" bill (as Jeff Sessions called it) probably makes it illegal for the cops to do this to anyone who might be an illegal alien. So only those in the US lawfully, such as actual US citizens, will be affected.